The Reality of Love
by Ultrawoman
Summary: Zoe Hart is starting to realise that true love should not really be based on fantasy, but rather it is found in friendship... set on fire! [Starts in Destiny & Denial, then goes into The Race & The Relationship]
1. Part 1 of 2

**A/N: Okay, so I got a great response to my previous Hart of Dixie fic (thank you, people!) and then I watched a couple more episodes... and it kinda bugged me that things didn't go the way I wanted! So, looky here, more fic. Do we see a pattern emerging? Yeah, I think this is just how it's going to be for now. Anywho, here's some rewriting for 'Destiny and Denial' and into 'The Race and The Relationship,' with more of the latter to follow, hopefully tomorrow ;)**

 _ **Disclaimer: All recognisable characters and any recognisable dialogue from Hart of Dixie belongs to Leila Gerstein and other people that aren't me.**_

Part 1 of 2

That was the moment, right there, the one Zoe felt as if she had been waiting for since she first arrived in Bluebell and laid eyes on George Tucker. He had moved in to kiss her, their first real kiss. It was kind of like a fairytale and Zoe had been anticipating all the clichés that went along with that perfect kiss you usually only got in movies. Hot lava, Fourth of July fireworks, the whole thing, and then his lips had touched hers and it was... shockingly underwhelming, actually.

This was why, a second or two after the moment was over, she was just standing there staring at him with what Zoe was certain was a really weird look on her face, but she couldn't help it. She was legitimately in shock. This great, defining moment in her relationship with George, this pivotal kiss that was supposed to be the beginning of everything and she felt... numb, normal, totally benign about the whole thing. It was just so disappointing!

"So," said George, breaking Zoe out of a daze, though perhaps a little too late given what he said next, "I'm thinking now... we spend the night?"

"Um..." Zoe began, wondering what she was supposed to say to that. "I guess we could do that."

The words were out there before she really thought them through. She wasn't the leap-into-bed-with-a-guy kind of girl. She only ever thought about doing that once and, well, the heatwave broke and as much as she kind of still wanted to go there, she just couldn't. Not even with Wade, and he had been really tempting that night...

"Oh my God," she muttered when she realised where her brain was going. "Um, I'm sorry, George," she said quickly, pushing her hair back off her face. "This is all... This night is just... You know, what?" she said suddenly, finding her bearings at last. "My mom knows somebody at every fancy hotel in America. I'll just... make the call," she suggested, backing away from him maybe a little too fast. "This is George Tucker," she said to herself in a low voice as she walked. "George Tucker asking you to spend the night with him. This is what you wanted. Isn't this what you wanted?" she asked herself, stopping when she reached the bar and bracing herself against it. "Well, isn't it?"

"Can I help you, ma'am?" the bartender asked her.

Zoe glanced up and had to blink twice before her vision cleared and she saw the guy who was really there. She could've sworn for a moment he was someone else. She was clearly going crazy.

"Oh my God, what is wrong with me?" she said, more to herself than the bartender, and then suddenly Zoe was running, or at least hurrying as fast as her heels would allow, right out the door and away.

It was stupid and pathetic. She should at least tell George what was going on, but she just couldn't. All Zoe knew was that she really should not be in New Orleans right now. She needed to get home. Fast.

* * *

When she awoke in the morning it was from fitful sleep. Zoe did not feel good about her behaviour yesterday. In fact, the more she thought about it, she didn't feel good about a whole lot of her behaviour in the last few months. She had been such a fool over George Tucker, not caring much about anyone or anything else in her pursuit of him, and for what? Though it hurt still when Wade's words rang in her head, about her being selfish and snobbish, as the night turned into morning, she started to understand why he had said those things.

A knock on the door startled Zoe into action. She really hadn't been expecting visitors and, checking that she was presentable for company, she moved towards the door. It was a real surprise to find George on her doorstep, though she supposed really she ought to have expected it. They exchanged awkward greetings and pleasantries as she let him in, then the awful silence fell over them.

"So, last night," he said, scratching the back of his head. "I, er... I thought things were going well."

"They were," Zoe agreed, nodding her head, hands twisting together in front of her as she fought to find the words to explain. "It was a great night, a lot of fun, but, um... we kind of got a little swept away, you know?"

"I know." George nodded. "I really did not mean to make you uncomfortable or make it seem like I was pushing you into anything you didn't want-"

"You didn't, you weren't," Zoe assured him fast. "I did want to, or at least, I thought I did," she tried to explain, knowing she was blushing as she made her admissions, but pressing on regardless because she just had to. "George, I... I like you. I like you a lot, I have from the first day we met. I mean, look at you, you're great," she said with a wide smile. "You're handsome and sweet and kind and... and you've been such a good friend to me," she told him, her hand briefly on his arm as he smiled too. "I just think that maybe I built this whole thing up in my head, you know? The more I think about it, the more I wonder if it was just easier for me to want what I couldn't have, or _who_ I couldn't have. Great as you are, reality rarely lives up to the fantasy, you know?"

"Oh." George nodded like he did understand, and yet he looked understandably hurt.

"I know, it sounds awful. I don't mean to make it sound like you're not great, George, because you are, you really are, and I am so glad that we're friends. I would hate to lose that, but... I was expecting something when we finally kissed and it just wasn't..."

"It wasn't true love's kiss?" he said, just a little amused, it seemed.

Zoe laughed, she couldn't help it. "Something like that," she admitted. "Can you honestly say it was that great for you either?"

George sighed. "No," he admitted. "I mean, it was a good kiss and all, but it wasn't... it wasn't what I expected it to be."

There was a great rushing of air and Zoe realised it was her lungs emptying in a huge sigh of relief. She really did not want to hurt George. She really hoped she was explaining herself well and that he might understand too. It was a genuine relief to realise that he did get it, and that hopefully, they could still be friends.

"George, I can't tell you if you're supposed to be with Lemon or not, that's really none of my business," she said then, "but if you want some advice, as a friend, I can only say that you guys have been together a really, really long time."

"Fifteen years." George nodded.

"Fifteen years," Zoe agreed. "Maybe it's at least worth hearing her out before you throw it all away... friend," she said with a smile.

"Thanks for the advice, _friend_ ," he replied in kind, wearing a similar expression. "And thank you for last night too," he said, moving a little closer. "I needed someone to just break loose with, and also, to stop me from going too far, I guess."

"Happy to help." Zoe smiled up at him, her eyes falling shut for a second as George planted a kiss on her forehead.

The door opened just at that moment and Wade came rushing in, clearly startled to see Zoe and George standing so close.

"Oh. Hey, Tucker. Didn't expect to see you here so early. I hope I'm not interrupting," he said, sounding just a little bitter about it to Zoe's mind. "Lavon, he injured his ankle pretty bad, so..."

"Yeah, okay, I'll be right there," Zoe promised.

A few minutes later, properly dressed and with her bag in hand, she arrived at the main house and was taking a look at Lavon's injured ankle, which he apparently sustained falling out of a tree in training for the Bluebell Battle. Of course, with his injury, there was absolutely no way he was going to be taking part. It was a pretty bad sprain and he was going to have to keep it stable until the swelling went down. Lavon wasn't exactly thrilled but it was Wade that seemed was really pissed about it. Zoe thought maybe he overreacted just a little but it wasn't her place to say it.

"So, do I wanna know what happened last night?" asked Lavon when he was alone with Zoe.

"Last night was fun," Zoe admitted, "but honestly? Not what I expected. George and me, we've decided to be friends, that's all."

"That's all?" Lavon echoed, eyes wide with surprise. "Lavon Hayes is surprised by this. Aren't you pretty much in love with George Tucker?"

"Apparently not." Zoe laughed at herself more than him. "I don't know, I guess reality rarely lives up to the daydream, you know? If I'm going to be in a relationship, it should be based on something real, something solid, not a fantasy fairytale that won't ever happen. The truth is when George kissed me last night I realised that he's just a guy. A guy that I like, that I want to be friends with, but that's all. Crazy, huh?"

"Not so crazy." Lavon told her with a smile. "Sometimes one kiss is all it takes to make you realise you were wrong and there's nothing really there, or sometimes, that you just found the love of your life."

Zoe watched him look away and felt so bad for him. Poor Lavon. It was okay for Zoe, she had figured out her feelings for George and she would be fine whether he and Lemon patched things up or not, but Lavon was truly in love with Lemon. If she and George made it work, that left Zoe's best friend hurting, and way more than a sprained ankle ever could.

"I'm so sorry, Lavon," she told him with a sad smile. "I wish everybody could get what they wanted, or _who_ they wanted, out of this situation."

"Yeah, well," he said, forcing a smile. "I've survived worse than this, but, er... if you wanted to make me feel a little better, there is one favour you could do for Lavon Hayes."

"Name it," said Zoe easily, returning her things to her bag as she waited to hear what it was.

"Well, if I can't be in the race, that leaves Wade kinda stuck, and he really wanted that prize money. Maybe you could fill in for me?"

"Be Wade's partner for the Bluebell battle?" she asked, eyes widening. "Why would he even want me to be his partner? He thinks I'm selfish and snobbish and... and I'm not even sure he's entirely wrong about that," she admitted sadly.

"Come on, Big Z. You know Wade was just sounding off. You two fight like crazy but that's only because you love each other really, right?"

Zoe opened her mouth to protest, sure he meant more with that 'love' than was really accurate. She shook her head then, deciding that was crazy. It was only an expression and she was just imagining things.

"I'll talk to him," she told Lavon. "I promise, I will."

* * *

It would be much later in the day when Zoe was sat in the Rammer Jammer with Rose, telling her how the big race could be great with the right partner, that she remembered she was supposed to talk to Wade. Describing the deep connection that could be forged and the fun that could be had, she glanced over to the bar and saw Wade and Tansy leaning in close to each other. She couldn't explain why her stomach clenched when she saw that, realising that maybe the ex-couple had paired up again, be it for the race or for more.

"Zoe? You okay?" asked Rose, her hand on her friend's arm. "You look weird."

"I'm fine, I promise," said Zoe, smiling wide. "I just need to have a talk with Wade."

She got up to go over to the bar then, taking a deep breath and making sure her smile still looked real as she greeted both Wade and Tansy.

"Hey, you two. Planning tactics for the race tomorrow?"

"Oh, I can't take part on account that I don't live in Bluebell," said Tansy, looking sad.

"Bummer," said Zoe, shaking her head. "Well, then, maybe it's a good thing that I came over here. I was thinking, Wade, maybe you and I should team up."

It was almost too funny, and entirely too cute, when his eyes went wide like that.

"You wanna team up with me?" he checked, clearly unsure if this was a joke or not.

"I do, if you do," said Zoe, making random gestures with her hands that she figured were down to nerves though she wasn't quite sure what exactly she was nervous about! "I know I can be selfish and snobbish," she said awkwardly then, "and I'm probably the last person you want to partner with, but I want us to be friends, Wade. Besides, you need a partner, I really want to participate in this, and honestly? We've proved to be a good team in the past, right?"

"I guess so, doc." Wade nodded. "I just thought... well, until I heard that George Tucker signed up with Lemon, I kinda thought-"

"Well, stop thinking so much," she advised. "It's not your strong suit," she told him with a wicked smirk. "Now, you wanna be my partner or not?"

"Well, hell, yeah, doc," he told her, grinning wide. "You really think we're gonna win this thing?"

"Believe me, Wade Kinsella, we are going to win everything we want."

 _To Be Continued..._


	2. Part 2 of 2

**A/N: Okay, time to fix the rest of this mess the best way I know how. If you read it, I hope you like it ;)**

 _ **(For disclaimer, etc. - see Part 1)**_

Part 2 of 2

It went even better than she thought it could. Zoe had entered the Bluebell Battle for a lot of reasons, to be a part of the town, to pay back Wade for all the times he helped her out, and maybe even to have a little fun. She did not expect to be this good at the challenges that came up or to have quite such a riot of a time running around town with Wade. It was almost too easy to forget that George and Lemon were even part of the day's activities, save for the fact they seemed to be winning all of the time.

Zoe so wanted to beat them, and not just because they were George and Lemon. She wanted to win for Wade. Somewhere amongst the wheelbarrow building and cornhusking and all the other crazy small-town things they had to do in this strange and oddly entertaining race, he had told Zoe about his plans for the money they could win, or at least his half. He was saving up to put a deposit down on a bar, to start his own place. Zoe wanted him to have that, so much so that if they did win she was totally going to let him have the whole prize. Of course, the actual winning might prove to be a little tougher than it should.

"I had a feeling we'd make a good team for this," she said as they worked on their latest challenge, Zoe whipping stitches through fabric as Wade rushed up with more hay to stuff the scarecrow. "It's like we're two bodies, moving as one."

The moment she said it, Zoe could've slapped herself.

"Wow, that came out so wrong"

"Sounded alright by me, doc," Wade told her, laughing as he continued on with the task at hand.

"No, but seriously," she said, focusing very hard on her sewing. "You've been a really good friend to me since I've been here, Wade. You've helped me out with so much, I've lost count of the favours you've done for me, and then when you said I was selfish and-"

"Zoe, I didn't mean all of that," he told her fast, looking up the same moment she did and meeting her eyes.

"Yes, you did," she reminded him. "And I get it. I haven't exactly cared about much since I've been here, just getting the number of patients I need and... and chasing after George Tucker. I've been stupid, Wade, really stupid, and I'm sorry, but I'm trying harder. I swear, I am trying."

"And you're doing great, doc," he assured her. "You know, when you wanted to be my partner for this thing, I kinda wondered why. Started to think maybe you knew..."

"Maybe I knew what?" she prompted when his voice went away.

A yell went up then as George and Lemon moved through to the next challenge.

"No way!" Zoe exclaimed, turning back to her sewing with gusto. "We have to beat them, Wade. You deserve that prize money for your bar."

She missed the winning smile she got for that remark as she concentrated on her stitching. Maybe she didn't know exactly what Wade felt for her, but Zoe had just made him the happiest man in Bluebell by being so supportive like that. Everything else could wait until later, after they won.

* * *

"We can do this, Wade, I know we can," Zoe continued in her postive attitude as they worked on the final challenge. "We get that fish and we're golden, champions of the Bluebell Battle, five thousand dollars. You're going to get that bar, it'll be great."

"You're really into this," he said, still in awe of that fact. "Never thought I'd live to see the day when you were so het up over a town event, doc."

"It's not about the event. At least, not all of it." Zoe shook her head. "I want to win this for you, Wade. I told you, I owe you, and you really deserve this win. What?" she checked when he continued to stare at her with the strangest smile on his face.

"You really got no idea, do you?"

"No idea about what?"

"Zoe... See, the thing is, I've been trying to tell you something for a while now. I tried to take you to the airport once to tell you there. I tried to tell you a few different times but-"

Rose chose that moment to run over and ask for advice about Frederick Dean. Wade might've been mad about it except those kids were too sickeningly adorable to possibly be mad at.

By the time Rose went scampering off to her date again, the moment had passed and Wade didn't worry about trying to bring it back. When this competition was over, there would be the afterparty and, win or lose, he would be there with Zoe. Maybe then he would be able to find the words to tell her what he really felt.

"Lemon, what are you doing?"

George Tucker yelled so loud he got everybody's attention and then all eyes were on Lemon herself as she climbed up onto the roof to retrieve the fish that would win her the whole competition.

"You have got to be kidding me," said Wade, staring up onto that roof. "That ain't in the rules."

Zoe looked from him to their half-built rod and back up to Lemon who was inching her way up towards that fish. This was it, they had lost. Wade wouldn't get his prize money and Zoe had let him down again, because she certainly couldn't bring herself to make that same climb. Wade could probably do it. He knew how to climb up onto roofs, he did it every month to bring Crazy Earl down, but he wasn't moving. He was too shocked by what was happening, just like everyone else.

"No frickin' way," said Zoe to herself, taking off running towards the building.

"Zoe?" Wade called behind her, unsure what she was doing until it was too late. "Aww, hell, no!" he exclaimed, giving chase when he realised she was already climbing up.

As Lemon reached the top of the first part of the roof, she stopped. Panic overtook her and George encouraged her to just give up and come down, but she was paralysed, unable to go further and unable to come back. Wade looked to the other side of the building and saw that Zoe was even paler than Lemon and clearly talking to herself to keep herself as calm as she could while she climbed, high heels and all, up onto that roof.

"Zoe, it ain't worth dying for!" he called up to her.

"Do not use the D word, cowboy!" she called back to him. "I got this."

He was about to tell her no, that she really didn't have to do this, until suddenly he realised she was right. She really did have it all under control as she stepped daintily along the edge of the precipice and reached out for that stupid magnetic fish.

"Just breathe," Zoe was telling herself. "You can do this. Wade believes in you and you owe him this. Come on."

One more step and reaching out her arm as far as it would go got Zoe her prize, the fish was in her hand and she allowed herself to let out a breath she hardly knew she had been holding in.

"Yes, doc! That's my girl!" Wade was hollering, making Zoe laugh as she edged her way back around to a place where she could safely climb down.

She couldn't bear to look as she descended, until finally she felt his hands at her waist, easing her safely back down to the ground.

"We did it!" she said breathlessly, holding the fish out to him. "We won!"

"Zoe Hart, you are amazing!" he told her happily, picking her clean up off the ground as he spun her around and around.

She laughed out of joy and relief and a hundred other things as he twirled her until she started to feel sick, and still Zoe didn't care enough to get Wade to stop. It felt good to be a winner, to be a real part of Bluebell, to have people cheering for her, but it felt twice as good to be there in Wade's arms as he finally set her down on her feet again.

"Thank you, Zoe," he told her, gazing down into her eyes. "I mean it, thank you."

"You're welcome, Wade," she replied. "And thank you, for everything you've done for me too. I don't think I've said that enough."

"Hell, you just climbed up on a roof for me and won me a share of five thousand dollars. I think that just about covers it," he told her giddily. "Nobody ever did anything like that for me before."

The temptation to kiss her, which so often came over him, happened again as they stood there just staring into each other's eyes. Wade was actually about to risk it when suddenly he and Zoe were surrounded by folks wanting to shake their hands and congratulate them. Seemed they'd been too distracted by George rescuing Lemon at first, but now the winners of the Bluebell Battle were getting all the congratulations they deserved, and after that performance, there was no doubt that they definitely did deserve it!

* * *

"And so, the winners of this year's Bluebell Battle, and receivers of the coveted Golden Bell and five-thousand-dollar prize, Wade Kinsella and Zoe Hart!" said Brick, handing over the prizes and then joining in the applause.

The Rammer Jammer was just full of people wanting to cheer and clap for the winners of the great race and Zoe could not be more embarrassed or more happy to be there amongst them. She saw George and Lemon holding onto each other and didn't even bat an eye, she was too busy enjoying this moment, and anticipating the one that followed.

"Here," she said to Wade as the crowd dispersed some. "I want you to have this."

"What's that now, doc?" he asked, clearly confused by the fact she seemed to be giving him the envelope with the prize cheque in it.

"I don't want a share of the money," she said definitely. "I want you to take all of it, for your deposit. You need it for your bar and you more than deserve it. Just... promise to name a drink after me or something, okay?" she said with a smile.

It was too much. She was too much. Wade couldn't stand it anymore. He knew now that Zoe cared about him, more than he ever thought she could, and she seemed to have well and truly gotten George Tucker out of her system. They had just won the race and she had handed him exactly what he needed to turn his life around. It couldn't get better than this, except for in one way. Before he overthought it or she had a chance to stop him, Wade took a hold of Zoe Hart and just kissed her, leaving her in no doubt at all on how he felt about her.

"And just in case you don't get it loud and clear from that," he said when they parted, "I love you, Zoe Hart."

There was an awful moment when he thought she was going to laugh at him or run from him or something. It was a real relief when she did none of those things.

"Wow. I didn't... Wade, I..."

With words seeming to fail her, she just reached for him again and pulled him into another kiss. He wasn't dumb enough to argue with that and kissed her back with everything he had until they had to part to breathe again.

"I love you too," she said softly as they pulled apart. "I don't know how that happened exactly, but I really do," she admitted, almost laughing, though there was nothing funny about it, she was just so amazed by how this day had turned out.

She wasn't sorry though. Zoe had absolutely zero regrets with the choices she had made in the last twenty-four hours, and when Wade kissed her one more time, to a soundtrack of whistles and cheers from the crowd surrounding them, she had never felt more certain that she truly understood what love was.

The End

 **IMPORTANT** **NOTE: For those that don't know, at this point, I've only seen 20 episodes of Hart of Dixie, and I'm trying to avoid spoilers for all that I haven't seen, so while I will be extremely grateful for any reviews I might get on this story, I would appreciate no comments that might spoil me for the rest of the series. Many thanks in advance :)**


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